Bodega Tapiz Black Tears Malbec 2020 Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 75cl

Black Tears is one of Bodega Tapiz’s most ambitious Malbecs, drawn from the estate’s high San Pablo vineyards in the Uco Valley. It comes from a team led by veteran winemaker Fabian Valenzuela, whose more than thirty years in the cellar show in its poise.

This is pure Malbec, but a serious one: concentrated, structured and built to last, a world away from the soft, everyday style of the grape. Fruit grown at altitude gives it both power and lift, so it stays balanced despite its depth.

The 2020 is an age-worthy release. Detail on the growing season is limited in our records, so we describe the wine rather than embellish the vintage. It can be broached now with a long decant, but it is made to reward time. Cellared for a few years, it should only gain in depth and complexity.

Intense and deep, it pours a dark core and offers concentrated black fruit, violet and a fine graphite, mineral edge. The palate is powerful and firmly structured, with the grip, freshness and length to develop over several years in the cellar.

It won strong praise, 95 points from Tim Atkin and 96 from James Suckling, marking it out among premium Argentine Malbec. Decant well ahead, serve at around 18 degrees, and pair with grilled ribeye, asado or venison. If you love serious, structured Malbec in the Uco Valley mould, this belongs in the same conversation as the region’s flagship reds, a wine to reward both patience and a proper occasion.